An example of the sleep/wake circadian rhythm is when light is detected by the retinas, a stop in the production of melatonin occurs - which controls alertness, causing the person to wake up.
Stages of Sleep
Brain activity is measured by an EEG
Different brain waves are associated with different stages of sleep
5 different stages of sleep, which we cycle through about 3-5 times a night
There are two main types of sleep - Non-REM, and REM Non-REM
Stage 1 Sleep
Theta waves
Lasts up to 5 mins
Slower breathing and heart rate
Easily woken from
Stage 2
Lasts 20-30 mins
Still easily woken
Spindles - spikes in brain activity
Stage 3
Delta waves start to appear
Not as easily woken as earlier stages
Stage 4
About 30 mins
Deep sleep
Prominent delta waves
Slow wave sleep (SWS)
REM
Stage 5
Initial REM period lasts a few minutes - progressively getting longer to around 40-60 mins
Heart rate, temperature and respiration increase
Non-REM intervals get shorter
Low voltage, high frequency brain waves
Similar to awake
Awake Stages
Awake
Low voltage high frequency beta waves - similar to REM sleep
Drowsy
Alpha waves prominent
Purposes of Sleep
Energy Conservation
Less energy used during sleep - body doesn't work as hard
Evidenced by lower body temperature during sleep
Metabolic Rate is lower
Repair and Restoration
Cell repair, immune-system strengthening and muscle waste removal occurs
Sleep deprivation causes more illnesses
Memory Consolidation
Allows memories to be stored logically and in an accessible way
Important to attain time in all stages of sleep - imporves ability to perform spatial tasks
Sleep Deprivation
Is when the required amount of sleep required for optimal function is not attained
Illnesses more frequent in those suffering from sleep deprivation
Effects of deprivation include
Daytime sleepiness
Poor concentration
Microsleeps (Brief sleeps lasting for seconds or minutes)
Hand Tremors
Etc.
Serious Effects include
Tension
Mood swings
Illusions
Paranoia
Jet Lag
A result of travelling from one time zone to another
On average, it takes 1 day to recover for every time zone traversed
Athletes will often travel to destination one or more days in advance
Shift Work
In order to get a decent sleep, shift workers need to do the following
Establish a routine leading to sleep
Organise a dark room
White noise or electrical appliances help to establish sleeping environment
Maintain schedule to get used to routine
Better to rotate shifts forwards not backwards
Wear sunglasses during the day
Use of bright lights helpful for waking up at night
It is unethical to constantly change a shift worker's shifts constantly
Allow at least a week before changing shift times
Sleep Disorders
Sleep Apnoea
Symptoms
Short stoppages of breathing during sleep
Can cause high blood pressure and irregular heart beat
Blockages of airways
Tiredness
Causes
Being overweight
Some drugs
40+ year old men who are overweight are the most prone
Treatments
Weight loss
Avoiding drugs
Sleeping on side
Nasal decongestants
Narcolepsy
Symptoms
Irresistable and unpredictable attacks of daytime sleepiness
Reduced muscle tension due to tiredness
Causes
Possibly genetic, but causes are not well known
Treatments
Medication
Taking scheduled naps throughout the day
Avoid alcohol and other drugs
Insomnia
Symptoms
Reduction in amount and quality of sleep
Fatigue
Impaired concentration
Not being able to sleep
Early waking
Causes
Excessive stress and anxiety
Inactivity
Caffeine and smoking
Noise and light - common to shift workers
Psychological Interventions for Insomnia
Stimulus Control Therapy
Recondition bed with sleep
Ensures sleep is the only thing done in bed
Don't spend more than 10 mins trying to sleep in bed - get up and walk around
Get up at same time every morning
No daytime naps
Sleep Restriction Therapy
Limits the amount of time spent in bed/sleep
Increases sleep debt, causing tiredness
Steadily increase amount of time allowed in bed
No naps
Repeat process until desired amount of sleep is attained
Sleep Hygiene
Avoid
Exercising close to bedtime
Eating after 8PM
Excessive amounts of caffiene
Too much light and extreme temperatures
Too much time in bed/napping
Constantly changing sleep schedules
Do
Establish a bedtime and wake-up time
Quiet environment, maybe with white noise of electrical appliance (fan)
Implement a winding down routine (shower before bed, etc.)
Resolve worries before going to bed
Cannon's Fight of Flight Response
The release of hormones, adrenaline, etc. during a fight or flight scenario causes the following responses
Physiological Arousal
Increased heart rate
Increase in respiration
Rise in temp
Sweat
Slow of digestion
etc.
Psychological Arousal
Increases psychological alertness to a perceived threat
Yerke/Dodson's Law of Arousal and Performance
A little stress is good, too much is bad
Simple tasks require a higher level of arousal for optimal performance
Complex tasks are the opposite
Is plotted according to the arousal/performance bell curve
Stress
Is the body's response to demands placed upon it
Caused by our perception of events around us
Side-effects of too much stress
Low productivity
Anger
Lack of concentration
Anxiety
Panic attacks
Depression
High blood pressure
Lower immune system
Etc.
Managing Stress
Exercising 20 mins a day
Healthy diet
At least 7 hours of sleep a night
Good social support
Use of humour
Develop problem-solving strategies
Avoid stressors by planning ahead
Psychological Interventions for Coping With Stress
Cognitive Therapy
Emotion focused - assumes thoughts are behind stress
Change negative thoughts into positive ones
Gain self-understanding about one's negative thinking
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
Combines cognitive therapy with behaviour therapy (changing of behaviours)
The change in behaviour helps to create skills and strategies to better deal with stress
Problem-solving strategies to cope with stressful situations
With panic attacks, breathing exercises may be used to deal with breathlessness and rationalisation behind the panic attack
Ethical Issues
Need to ensure participants are fully aware and informed when agreeing to participate in investigations
Psychobiology of Altered States of Awareness
Circadian Rhythm
An example of the sleep/wake circadian rhythm is when light is detected by the retinas, a stop in the production of melatonin occurs - which controls alertness, causing the person to wake up.
Stages of Sleep
There are two main types of sleep - Non-REM, and REM
Non-REM
REM
Awake Stages
Purposes of Sleep
Energy ConservationRepair and Restoration
Memory Consolidation
Sleep Deprivation
Jet Lag
Shift Work
Sleep Disorders
Sleep Apnoea
Narcolepsy
Insomnia
Psychological Interventions for Insomnia
Sleep Hygiene
Cannon's Fight of Flight Response
The release of hormones, adrenaline, etc. during a fight or flight scenario causes the following responsesYerke/Dodson's Law of Arousal and Performance
Stress
Side-effects of too much stress
- Low productivity
- Anger
- Lack of concentration
- Anxiety
- Panic attacks
- Depression
- High blood pressure
- Lower immune system
- Etc.
Managing StressPsychological Interventions for Coping With Stress
Ethical Issues